


and now my heart stumbles

by yet_intrepid



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 05:35:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yet_intrepid/pseuds/yet_intrepid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eomer, when he fights, can retreat home to Edoras. Eowyn, engaged in a hidden war which is no less fierce, has no such place of refuge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	and now my heart stumbles

The hardest labors are those which do not end when the sun goes down. The darkest battles are those from which one cannot retreat homeward.

These are Eowyn’s battles, and her brother watches her spirit struggling to bear up under the weight. They do not often speak of it, just as they do not often speak of Eomer’s nightmares after a close fight. But they watch one another, hands on shoulders, standing close. And Eomer watches Grima.

But Eomer cannot always be there, and sometimes Grima corners her. His words pin her sharply as any spear. Eowyn, says Grima. His voice writes her name in slime. Eowyn, you wait upon your uncle and you grow weary and I see it, Eowyn. Do you not wish someone to lean on?

You are a broken staff, she tells him. The king has leaned on you and he has fallen. I am wiser than to make the same mistake.

Still, she knows that she cannot lean on nothing forever.


End file.
